A Sydney-based Chinese diplomat seeking asylum in Australia claims his country is kidnapping people in Australia and repatriating them and is worried he will now meet the same fate.
Chen Younglin has been in hiding in Sydney for the past week since leaving his job at China's consulate-general to request asylum for himself and his family.
"They have successfully been kidnapping people in Australia back to China," he said.
Mr Chen spoke at a rally in Sydney to mark the 16th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
He says the Australian Government refused him political asylum, does not want him to stay in Australia and does not care about his revelations.
"I said [to Australian officials], 'please this is important for the Australian public, Australia is not a safe place'," he said.
He says he has strong evidence to back his kidnapping claims, saying he learned of the kidnappings during the four years he spent working at the Chinese consulate-general in Sydney.
"I want to ask [if] the Australian Government is aware of such cases. If they are aware, if the Government is cooperating with the terrorists. If they are not aware, they should look into the case," he said.
Mr Chen says one example of many kidnappings is a vice-governor of a northern province of China whose son and daughter were held by Chinese authorities when they travelled to China from Australia.
He says Chinese officials threatened to kill them if the vice-governor did not return to China, and when he did not, was then kidnapped in Australia.
"My information is very reliable. That's from [an official in the] ministry of public security," he said.
Mr Chen says he can no longer accept the Chinese Government's treatment of dissidents.
Speaking briefly before the rally in Martin Place, Mr Chen has said he is worried about the risk of appearing in public, but that he has been driven to it in desperation.
He says he is worried he will also be kidnapped and asked for the Australian Government to "immediately provide security to me to protect me and my family".
Mr Chen asylum bid comes as Australia moves to build closer economic ties with China, which is its third largest trading partner
